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Don’t let the holidays sneak up on you this year. Each passing day is bringing us closer to the busiest online shopping season: Last year, online sales reached over $54.5 billion in November and December.[1] The National Retail Federation expects a 13% increase in online retail sales this year![2] It might be painful to think about Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the last minute Christmas Bonanza now, but it’s important to jump on the holiday bandwagon early. Marketers all across the country are already preparing for the holiday rush. Advance planning can position your business for online success, more sales and more joy as you head into 2014!
1) Get a Historical Perspective:
Start to gather holiday campaign information from last year – results, creative, calls to action, promotional schedules and more.
2) Identify Trends:
Now that you’ve laid out your campaign promotional periods and performance metrics from last year, you will need to spend some time pulling out the creative that you used. Look at ad copy, keywords, targeting specifications, images, URL’s and the landing pages where the ads drove traffic to on your site.
3) Develop a 2013 Holiday Campaign Plan:
A well-built plan should include, at a minimum, the following items:
4) Motivate for Mobile:
IBM Online Retail Index reported that mobile shopping accounted for over 20 percent of all online sales! This trend is expected to continue to grow as we approach the 2013 holiday season. Get in gear now by updating your profiles with location information, creating mobile campaigns and building mobile landing pages. Get more tips on our blog.
5) Create a Back-Up Plan:
Consumers’ moods, patterns and preferences are always changing, so you’ll need to have a few back-up plans ready to roll. Minimize the stress by preparing for them. Here’s how:
6) Set a Reporting Schedule and Stick to It:
The holiday time period is the busiest time of the year for online retailers. There is so much that needs to be done from processing sales, filling orders and tracking deliveries. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most challenging periods to set aside time for reviewing campaign reports BUT IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR TO DO SO! Reduce the chaos by setting a reporting schedule now with daily and weekly review times.
7) Make a List and Check it Twice:
Go through this holiday check list one last time to make sure you have covered your bases. Go through the plan with your team so that everyone has a common vision and goal. Take some time to review your ads, landing pages and website.
Without a doubt, getting your mindset into the “holiday spirit” is a challenge with summer still in session and back to school activities in full swing but, the truth is, savvy marketers are already busy plotting their online retail strategy, ensuring that they are one step ahead of the rest. Are you one of them?
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Make getting prepared a bit easier this year - Download our Step-by-Step Holiday Planning Guide 
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